NO ONE CAME? 

What if you hold a press conference and no one bothers to show up? Maybe you are in a minor party; maybe you are a struggling novice. What if you are a five-term Congressman named Bernie?

This happened. At 11:00 AM Monday your editor and Bernie were the only ones present at a scheduled Sanders’s press conference. Soon in came a camera from ABC-22. Bernie left, reappeared. It is now 11:10 AM and the crowd has yet to build. Bernie goes downstairs. AARP is holding a press conference on the referendum to change the Vermont Constitution to remove the age limit for judges.

In that press conference were WCAX, WPTZ, another ABC-22 person, VPR, etc. Bernie’s aide swings into gear, waiting by the door to herd the press to Bernie’s room. At 11:27 AM and the conclusion of the AARP news conference in straggle two more, one print and one radio reporter, no more television crews.

Bernie decides to begin. He rants about the "outrage" and the "crisis" in Veterans’ health care. The VFW endorses Bernie. At 11:35 AM it is over. Amazingly the news on television was positive for Bernie. It all reminded us of the Wizard of Oz. He does however maintain a greater than three-to-one lead over his opponent, a qualified and hard working fellow. 

LISTEN MY CHILDREN 

If you are in favor of life, you are not qualified for state wide office. Roe v Wade is the law of the land. Nobody has suggested that they will work their backsides off to overturn it. Even Reagan, Bush one or Bush two or anybody. Folks used to joke that Roe v Wade must refer to different ways to cross the Potomac.

But not in Vermont where our soon to be departed Governor Dean said in endorsing Peter Shumlin for lieutenant governor that his affirmation of Roe v Wade was one of only two reasons he could suggest for Shumlin’s election. And further, "we have had not one statewide official in Vermont since Roe v Wade who was not pro-choice. We do not want to go there."

Meaning we suppose that if you favor life, you are not qualified to run or serve in Vermont. So much for diversity. 

PREDICTIONS 

As usual, the Democrats are in a last minute spending binge, we expect over $700,000 in the last four weeks of this campaign. It is awesome to behold. There is over $400,000 of mail arrived or headed your way. There is over $200,000 of television attack ads coming your way.

The Racine campaign just amended their Mass Media Reports to add Jim Douglas’s name to the advertising, meaning that Jim’s name will now appear in Racine’s ads which can only mean, slam, blam, gottcha. Then come the phone calls and tens of thousands of dollars of radio ads. 

FIRST, WHAT IS THE MESSAGE? 

Here is the problem for the Democrats: What is their message? The wizards of message seem to have lost their way. Some mail has a photograph of three very attractive non-Vermont women with a disjointed message that because some Republicans wanted to cut funding to the Governor’s Commission on Women, that therefore one should not vote for Jim Douglas. Huh? Don’t think that will drive hordes to the polls.

Then there is the thief message on which they spent a couple of hundreds of thousands. How many folks think that Jim Douglas is a thief? And Brian Dubie? A nicer, more honest, open, thoughtful fellow you will never meet in politics. And a hero of sorts to boot, recognized nationally for his skill and bravery in the post 9-11 period. As we sat hearth and home enjoying the Olympic competition and excitement, Brian was flying cover.

When we were out interviewing over forty folks trying to find the truth of Peter Shumlin’s dalliance and expulsion from his hearth and home, we called Dubie. He was clearly shocked that we could misjudge him so much to even ask him if he knew anything about Shumlin’s marital troubles. He said, "I know nothing, if I did know something I would wish that I didn’t, and if I did know anything I certainly would not tell you. Good bye." The other forty odd folks we spoke with were eager to tell what they knew or believed to be true.

Dubie is the real deal. A thief? That does not sell. 

LOST FORMULA 

The formula has worked in the last two elections. Lots of research, message development, and good tactics of mail, phone, television, and GOTV. And one easy victory after another. Back then our senior senator, Patrick Leahy, was reduced to being a stone throwing backbencher. Now he is the man. He leads the judiciary committee at the behest of Norman Lear and other fellow travelers to deny President Bush’s nominees access to the bench. Otherwise occupied, maybe Leahy just was not paying attention.

Doug Racine never developed a compelling message as to why he should be elected governor. He was just as concerned about jobs and the economy as Douglas but he was not like them, those Republicans. This is not a real message.

We urged Doug in the spring to be himself, to stand for something. But he was persuaded to evolve. And he evolved into nothing recognizable. Too bad. We would even have sympathy for most of his issues. Sure we would like everyone to have access to dental care, preventive health care, low cost pharmaceuticals, affordable housing, quality education, higher education opportunities, a cleaner environment, healthful foods, livable wages, and protecting and nurturing our small communities. We wish that he had shone his light on the contrasts between himself and Jim Douglas in each of these areas.

Instead he spent his time and money trying to re-invent himself. I am for the Circ. I am against single payer health care. I am for permit reform. And so forth. In explaining and evolving, he was not motivating. 

FIDO'S A DEMOCRAT, VOTE FOR HIM 

There are probably forty percent of Vermonters who believe that any Democrat is better than anyone else. Some feel entitled. Some are so used to power that they cannot believe that they need to share that power. Some are plain nuts. Some would probably support Bugs Bunny over any Republican.

Predictably Doug started with this forty percent and moved almost nowhere after spending six months and nearly a million dollars. He moved the margin of error to forty three percent and is stuck there. Douglas on the other hand started in the mid twenties and is now knocking on forty. People waited, waited and listened. "Racine, give me a reason to vote for you." Finding none, they looked elsewhere, to Hogan or Douglas. Add up the two and more are voting for change than for more of the same.

This is in spite of a supportive bureaucracy, many of whom are very motivated because their jobs are on the line, the Vermont NEA who failed to find any Republican who was worthy of breathing the same air as they do, the other unions, the huge NGO community plying the liberal waters and Democrat funding sources, and the seemingly inexhaustible supply of Chittenden County votes.

Maybe we are delusional. As with a second marriage, we believe in hope over experience. But we do not find a resonating message in the million bucks the Democrats have spent this year.

In politics, they say, "follow the money." In 2002 the money is being spent in Bennington, Addison, Franklin, and Chittenden County and of course against the six-pack of God’s warriors from the Kingdom. Politics was created to reward your friends and to punish your enemies. Money from the national gay community is pouring in to pummel the six-pack. Before the dust settles, they will spend over $40,000 vaingloriously for a couple of house seats. 

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT TIDBITS 

You have probably read media reports about how much each campaign has raised and spent. Here are a few tidbits.

Auditor Elizabeth Ready may have double dipped. Part of the controversy a month ago was the reimbursement of traveling to fairs and the like by her office. She suggested that she was just communing with the citizens of Vermont, a good way to stay in touch with the heartbeat of her constituents.

But her campaign finance reports show that Ms Ready was reimbursed by her campaign as well for "gas, oil, fairs, etc."

Crea Lintilac of Shelburne still seems confused or maybe she just can't say no. She and her family gave lieutenant governor candidate Pollina $2,000 and turned around and gave lieutenant governor candidate Shumlin $100. Act 60 opponent from Stowe Donna Carpenter and her husband chipped in $800 to Pollina. Seems counterproductive, but who are we to question the rich and famous. As someone wrote, the rich are different. Even Bernie finally gave $400 to Pollina after raking in thousands via his wife’s Progressive Media Strategies company via consulting and commissions.

Shumlin gave his campaign $15,000 and the Democrat Party gave and additional $29,574. Dubie is on his own, no personal contributions, and only $550 in party contributions.

Doug Racine has received 56 percent of his campaign contributions from the state or national Democrat Party, Douglas has received 46 percent from the Republican National Committee and $600 from the Vermont GOP. Racine has spent $40,000 with CAPAD for "voter contact" but did not declare this expenditure as a "mass media expense." He sent $85,914 to Bridge Communications in the last four weeks and $268,000 to Trippi, McMahon and Squire, his media company. He loaned his campaign $7,380. Con Hogan has loaned his campaign another $25,000 for a total of $78,000.

A new PAC we reported last week, Putting Vermont First, another anti six-pack PAC, raised another $2,400 in the last four weeks. Robert Hamilton refused to tell us what the purpose of his PAC was. DPR learned that Mr. Hamilton is an author and that he writes television serials for Hollywood. 

CRYSTAL BALL 

So where does this rant lead? To our predictions. We just wanted you to know where we were coming from.

SENATE

In spite of the huge Democrat money, over $50,000, spent in Bennington County, Judy Murphy just is not likable and thus not electable. Despite another $50,000 spent in Addison County, Tom Bahre is Tom Bahre. Rough and gruff, tormented unfairly by legal beagles, slandered by Sam Hemingway, and distracted throughout, Bahre will hold his seat. Clare Ayer may bump off incumbent Senator Gerry Gossens.

Hard to see more than one GOP out of Chittenden County. The power-mad Democrats should be ashamed of their failure to split up the six-seat district, the largest in the county by a league or two. Newcomer and rising star Kate Purcell lamented the lack of debating opportunities to promote her message. Organizers of last election’s debate said that with sixteen candidates, you could not have a meaningful discussion. A district of nearly 200,000 is just too big to campaign in, to debate in, to raise money for, to promote your message. If there were any humor in this, it would be a joke, but it is way beyond that. It is not reasonable, fair, or democratic. It violates the civil rights of equal access of all its citizens. Our largest city with its unique problems will not have a senator. Our third largest party dominating that city will have no senator. Power corrupts, and the Democrats in this instance are corrupt.

Hard to believe that you can spend the summer in Maine as Franklin County’s GOP candidate Carl Rosenquist did and win in spite of the $9,494 which the Franklin County GOP spent on television ads to benefit Carl and other county Republicans. Stowe fooled once, shame on Susan Bartlett. Fooled twice, shame on Stowe. We can't see that happening again. Voyer should pick up a seat for the GOP in Lamoille. MacDonald has faded in Orange and Carrow has worked relentlessly.

Hard to believe that it might come down to Windham County. Vermont’s most liberal county seems to have been overlooked by the Democrats. Their two long time Senators Chard and Shumlin did not stand for re-election and their recruitment of replacements was wanting. Norm Wright is about as liberal as you can get and still be a Republican, fellow GOP Mike Hebert is in his third senate race. 

THE ENVELOPE PLEASE 

So here goes. Caledonia-Orange, R-2, Essex-Orleans-Frankilin-Lamoille, R-2, Franklin, D-2, Chittenden-Grand Isle, D-1, Chittenden, D-4, R-2, Lamoille, R-1, Washington, R-2, D-1, Orange, R-1, Addison, R-1, D-1, Rutland, R-3, Windsor, D-3, Bennington R-1, D-1, Windham, R-1, D-1. Do you like a 15-15 senate?

HOUSE

The Republicans are helped and the Democrats are hurt by redistricting, retirement, and recruiting. Can the six-pack withstand the barrage? Not all. Can Steve Webster survive standing for election? No. Too bad, a great legislator but a weak campaigner. Can redistricting help pull in a couple of Chittenden County seats. Yes. Will all the mail pouring into Addison and Bennington cost the GOP overall seats? No. Is Weeks too weak? Maybe. Can Hooker relive her past glories? Probably not.

At the end of the day, look for the GOP to loose a seat, holding eighty-two. For the constitutionally charged election role, it will be GOP 97, Democrats 80, and Progressives 3. No one should take anything for granted in the expected election by secret ballot. The fun is only beginning.

CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES

Governor

This race will end between zero and three points separating Douglas and Racine with Racine first by the post in a photo finish. But in that over fifty-five percent will vote for change instead of more of the same, we expect Racine, the more of the same candidate, to step aside and ask the legislature to elect Jim Douglas. Well, he ought to but he won't. Maybe Pat Leahy can get the Judiciary Committee to abolish Vermont’s constitution.

We do not believe the undecideds are as undecided as the polls suggest. Lots of people are refusing to answer pollsters, lots of folks are screening their calls, lots of people think that it is nobody’s business, and some are afraid of being political incorrect and not supporting Racine. Most of the undecideds are not undecided and are not Racine’s.

Lieutenant Governor

Despite being the real deal, Dubie has squandered lots of goodwill and effort by bobbling the abortion questions being rapid fired at him by Peter Shumlin. It is not that this should have been a surprise to Dubie, where else could Shumlin go to find a wedge issue? Jobs? Not only is C&S Wholesale grocers decamping for New Hampshire, the nature food folks, Northeast Cooperatives, are right on their trail with their jobs moving all of nine miles -but out of state. Another 180 jobs are going from Brattleboro to Alabama from Shumlin’s district.

Shumlin’s days are numbered if Dubie hangs in there. Shumlin will not be able to exceed eighty votes in the legislature as he has done most everyone wrong in some recent moment. The election will be Shumlin 37, Dubie 37, Pollina 25, others 1.

Attorney General, SOS, Treasurer

An undeserving William Sorrell will win easily. Sorrell by twenty. I like Mike but he has not made his case outside of the insiders. Markowitz by fifteen. Spaulding had all the traction in disposing of Flanagan and his $225,000; LaBarge has generated none, Spaulding by eighteen.

Auditor

Funeral home Ready has higher visibility than Auditor Ready. The usual loquacious rotweiller Ready has been all but in hiding. Rumors abound that more is coming on phonegate, like coverupgate or cut and pastegate or where there is smoke there is firegate, but alas it seems not till after the election if ever. The newspapers seem suspicious of Ready; many endorsing Hyde even though Hyde has not really made the case of his qualifications or intentions, other than bottom lines not headlines.

It seemed that it was payback time by Governor Dean for both Flanagan and Ready. Both went after Dean with repeated cheap shots instead of solutions or recommendations. Dean has a reputation for getting even. He easily dispatched Flanagan, recruiting Spaulding and turning out the effort and endorsements for him. His office seemed to behind the earlier Ready leaks and hearing of more coming, there were moments of hope. But alas not so, without clear and convincing evidence, it is too far down the ballot for most to notice. Ready by ten. 

AND THE REST 

Bernie by thirty. United States Congress, House, 221-R, 213-D, and Bernie. A great effort. Usually the off year house election results in five-percent losses by the party of the White House. Against all odds, this will not happen.

Senate, 52-D, 47-R, and Jim. Despite probably a billion dollars to move fewer than 500,000 voters in key races, it will not happen for the Republicans. Wellstone’s death and celebration triggered good liberal feelings which took the GOP driven worry over Iraq and terrorism out of the minds of the swing voters in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, Missouri, and even New Hampshire to crush the GOP hopes of relegating Jeffords to anonymity. 

FOLLOW THE MONEY 

Huge bucks once again. The National spigots must be open.

Doug Racine increased his television buy $91,796 and restated all his recent buys of $181,451 to include attacking Jim Douglas in his Mass Media Reports. Jim Douglas added $81,862 to his buy. Racine noted radio for $21,629, Douglas answered with actually nothing. Racine also noted expenditures for phone banks, and more mail. Hogan bought another $3,000 of television advertisements.

Dubie bought $25,000 of television, $11,655 for radio, and $2,071 for print. Shumlin countered with $19,635 for television and $3,230 for mail. Pollina topped them with $32,252 for television.

The most active spenders for senate were Senator Sears and Judy Murhpy in Bennington for over $12,000 in their Mass Media Reports, $8,301 by seeker Paul Giuliani in Washington County, Senators Bahre, and Gossens and challenger Ayer in Addison with over $12,000. Senator Susan Bartlett either does not believe in mass media or Mass Media Reporting. Challenger Voyer filed and reports $1,808 for radio ads.

The biggest spending house candidate according to filed mass media reports was Jimmy Johnston of Montpelier adding to his previous reports with $2,187 on mail and another $600 for radio. 

YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE FRIENDS 

The PACs were hard at it, at least on the Democrat side, not a dollar on the GOP side. And they were coordinated. Marty Rouse, the great Democrat field worker who has toiled the Vermont ground for years now, was paid a total of $22,500 with partial payments in January, March, May, August, September and October by the Vermont Democrat House Campaign PAC.

Last October, again in November, then again in February, March, May, July and August, Marty Rouse, called Catamount Consulting but with offices at Rouse’s home address in Washington, was paid a total of $27,500 by the Vermont Senate Victory PAC. They both used Bridge Communications, the Democrat House PAC sending $38,000 to Bridge Communications. In the latest Mass Media Reports the Chittenden Senate Fund sent $25,000 though their finance disclosure states $40,000 to Bridge and the Vermont Democrat Party sent to Bridge Communications $30,050 to beat up Dubie.

The Vermont Republican Party, Republican Legislative PAC, Speaker’s PAC, the Republican Senate PAC, or any other like minded PAC filed no Mass Media Reports in this cycle. The Vermont Right to Life reports spending $1,069 in the last two years.

The Vermont Fund for Families, a pro civil union PAC, spent $163,235 supporting their friends and punishing their enemies. Cited for special attention were Postman, Sprague, Cummings, Green, Power, Goodrich, Ayer, Fisher, Collins, Burgess, Keenan, Townsend, Belodeau, Kittell, Kinsey, Rogers, Sears, and Murphy. They also sent along an extra $15,504 to Bridge Communication. Over ninety-three percent of their donations came from out of state. Many of their donors appear also on the reports of the Democrat Party, the House PAC, the Senate PAC, and democrat candidates. Many of those donors also donated in 2000. Their finance report discloses that they have $46,460 left to spend in the last eleven days.

The Socially Responsible PAC dumped more money into the campaign. They advertised in favor of Leddy, Gossen, Lyons, Munt, Miller, Ayer, Bartlett spending $5,836.

Phoof. From nowhere out popped Vermont Conservation PAC filing on October 25th their July, August, September and October required Finance Disclosure Forms. Better late than never. They mailed 36,000 post cards at a cost of $12,116 in support of Ayer, Gossens, Murphy, Sears, Collins, Kittell, Bartlett, Gander, and White.

All of this is beautifully coordinated, not wasting a dime where they cannot win.

Another new PAC just popped up to smash Brian Dubie, Pro-Choice Vermonters for Shumlin. The chair is Shumlin employee Cheryl Rivers and the treasurer is Representative Ann Seibert, D-Norwich. No mass media reports or finance disclosure reports, just a bank designation and treasurer appointment form. We understand that Siebert has loaned the money to make it go in expectations of later fundraising to reimburse her.

Vermonters for Civil Unions ironically reported no (zero) contributions from Vermonters, 100 percent from out-of-state. 

SHUMLIN TALKS THE TALK BUT DOES NOT WALK THE WALK 

Gun Owners of Vermont repudiated the National Rifle Association's endorsement of Peter Shumlin. As usual, NRA's political operative again cut a deal directly with Peter with little or no input from Vermont gun owners. They did the same thing two and four years ago when they endorsed Howard Dean instead of Ruth Dwyer. When Vermont NRA members protested the 1998 Dean endorsement, NRA abolished its Vermont advisory committee.

"We strongly endorse Brian Dubie for Lt. Governor. Brian is 100% on the side of gun owners. Peter Shumlin talks a good game, but was instrumental in undercutting and eventually killing legislation in 1999 that would have limited the attorney general's power to bring an attack lawsuit against the firearms industry. Never mind what he says today. Shumlin will not be a friend of gun owners when he thinks something can be gained by selling them out." 

FOR THE RECORD 

Let's review Walter Mondale's career:

APPOINTED to be the Attorney General of Minnesota. Won re-election as an incumbent.

APPOINTED to the United States Senate after Hubert Humphrey became Vice President. Won re-election as an incumbent.

SELECTED as Jimmy Carter's Vice Presidential running mate in 1976.

Served one term in what was arguably not one of the greatest administrations in the history of the Republic.

Four years later Mondale, for the first and only time in his career, ran for election on his own and not as an incumbent. Mondale LOST in the electoral college 525-13.

APPOINTED Ambassador to Japan

Eighteen years after his last race, Mondale is APPOINTED again as the Democrat nominee for the United States Senate. Some guys get all the luck.

See also: The bizarre return of Walter Mondale... http://www.nationalreview.com/miller/miller102802.asp 

SAM THE SLAM 

None of the PAC spending we itemized warranted a mention in the press, or in Sam Hemingway’s column in particular. Note that the PAC spending itemized above totalled $373,580.

What was relevant is what the Vermont Defense of Marriage PAC allegedly did. They report having spent $3,070 since November, 2000, that is over the last twenty-three months. They report neither media expenses on their finance report nor filed any Mass Media Reports. Yet based on a charlatan’s bragging, Hemingway used his column to write up the following.

"That's when Vermont Defense of Marriage... hits the airwaves with an ad knocking Douglas, who favors civil unions and slammed the group's tactics this year. In an essay mailed to "pro-family" Vermonters recently, Virginia pastor Michael McHugh tells them to vote for a third-party or write-in candidate instead and don't worry about the gridlock it might create in Montpelier... "McHugh, in an interview, promised the group's radio spot will mirror that advice."

Previously Sam used his column, online as Hemingway's Vermont, to slam Dubie’s pro-life position. The unbiased press at work, pulling out all stops, including giving credibility to the incredible. Sam may have just as well made the whole thing up.

Sam's world here: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/Columnists/Sam/newsindex.htm 

FROM A SHEARED SHEEP 

»» Roberta Borland, Greensboro: Your readers, and your editorials are right about Act 60. As a native Vermonter, I labored building my little log cabin in the softwoods of Greensboro. Every nail was driven by hand, every stone in the hearth carried from the home farm. When I built the cabin in 1993 my taxes were in the vicinity of $700 a year. By any means that was a modest sum, but with a house payment, a daughter in college, and a small salary, it was bad enough. I located here for a reason. Since Act 60, my property taxes are now $2119. The salary is still modest but now the state "helps" me pay my property taxes. I have the Democrats to thank for making property owners feel like wards of the state. Not to mention that I am now contributing towards all the new state employees needed, due to Act 60, the added time on tax forms, and confusion caused by Act 60, so life in Vermont could be "equal". I live in a town that has been a "gold" town from Day One. The only "gold" thing here is the color of the tamarack. Enjoyed Bernier Mayo's sheep shearing correlation. Thanks for the great work! I hope Vermonters get out to vote! 

THIS SHEARED SHEEP WILL FIGHT BACK 

»» Mary Daly, Fairlee: I'm MAD! All summer I scrimped and saved so there would be enough money in my checking account to pay my Property Taxes in October. NOW I understand that our sometimes Governor Dean is planning to transfer 8 million dollars from the Education Fund, where much of that money went, to balance the General Fund. Already he has used the Transportation Fund to support his programs. Is this another trick to make him look good to the National Press?? So he can say he is fiscally conservative and balanced the budget while Governor of Vermont?? How about giving back his salary for the year 2002 as he has rarely been here tending to the business of the State?

If you are mad like I am, it is time to get out and vote for the Republican candidates on November 5th. Not voting or voting for Racine and Shumlin will only perpetuate this tax and spend behavior. 

REMEMBER PEROT IN 1992 

»» Barbara Richardson, Amsden: You are absolutely right about the disingenuousness of the Rutland Herald and Times Argus "endorsement" of Con Hogan. You only have to go back to the national election of 1992 and remember how many good Republicans deserted their party to vote for Ross Perot...the result being that Bill Clinton, the worst man ever to be elected president, won the election. Con Hogan originally announced that he would run as a Republican, but when he realized that he probably would lose the primary to Jim Douglas, he decided to run as an Independent. Racine must have been delighted, as he knew no Democrats would desert their party and vote for Hogan, but many Republicans would. Please remember what happened in 1992 and don't waste your vote on Hogan. He may be a good man, but his candidacy is serving Democrats. 

FROM A PROFESSOR OF CYNICISM 

»» Ralph F Colin, Jr., Dorset: Living in New York for 62 years, I had plenty of opportunities to hone my innate leanings towards living in a permanent state of cynicism. I passed Cynicism 101 with flying colors. After moving to Vermont, I immediately recognized that what I had learned in the Empire State was mere child's play compared to the possibilities existing in the Green Mountain State. Here, one could advance one's education in cynicism to the point where it could approach its natural, or at least expected, apogee; indeed, as it is practiced by some who work in the State House, it becomes an art form. So I enrolled in post-graduate studies, matriculating in a course entitled "Achieving Absolute Nirvana: Entering the Consciousness of Total Disbelief." I now have my doctorate.

You will have to forgive me, therefore, if I view the Rutland Herald's endorsement of Con Hogan with a sense of uneasiness, a nagging fear that there is something behind it which may not be apparent to the naked eye. Of course, I've learned to approach just about everything that may emanate from David Moats' inspired musings with that same cautious "what is he really up to this time?" uncertainty. Thus, not to belittle your informed conclusion as annunciated under the heading of "Disingenuous Ink Flow" in the October 25th edition of DPR, I would advance an additional supposition for your examination.

In that the Herald obviously is in the business of selling "news", however that may be interpreted, and further that the Herald has recently deduced (since recognizing that Democrats may no longer control the process) that Section 47 of Chapter 2 of the Vermont Constitution - that's the provision pertaining to the General Assembly electing Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Treasurers when none of the candidates attains a majority of the votes - may no longer be such a hot proposition, how could this be turned into an advantageous scheme for the hometown gazette? This topic, thanks to, among others, the Herald, is a controversial one in the current election cycle since it appears that, indeed, none of the gubernatorial or lieutenant gubernatorial candidates will be able to achieve that desirable 50% level. What could the editors of that paragon of truth, the Herald, do to guarantee that for at least two more months following Election Day, the news story of choice would be how and under what procedures the legislature would select Vermont's top two elected officials? Why by endorsing the candidate least likely of three to win, thereby encouraging their thousands of loyal readers to support their superior selection and ensuring that the election would be made by the 180 legislators. What fodder for the fertile minds of objective reporters that story would be! And it probably would sell a few more newspapers. Just contemplate the possibilities...and the profits!

I warned you that I have an advanced degree in cynicism. 

LET'S GET IT TOGETHER, FOLKS 

»» Ian Robertson, Wolcott: The need is obvious, I hope, for conservative Rrepublicans to pull together with moderate Republicans to elect Jim Douglas as governor. I realize that many conservatives differ with Jim on the civil union issue. If conservative Republicans will not support moderate Republican candidates, then will moderate Republicans support conservative candidates? What chance does that give to any GOP candidate? Many moderate Republicans joined conservatives to support Ruth Dwyer. If the Republican party fractures into two halves, neither of which will support candidates unless they are an exact match to an ideological profile, then what joy for the damned democrats! Just give them the key to the state then and dissolve the GOP.

There is much in Douglas's positions that conservatives can enthusiastically support, Act 60 and Act 250 reform, school choice, fiscal conservatism to name just a few. And if that's not enough, then conservatives should consider the effects of passively allowing Racine to take power. Once Racine gets in, it will be damned hard to dislodge him, we'll be stuck with him for another decade. So for conservatives, the time for decision is now, support Republican Jim Douglas or just sit by and let liberal Democrats rule us for the next forever. I think the choice should be clear! 

DRYSDALE IS DICKY! 

»» Suzanne Butterfield, Gaysville: Like you (and everyone else I know) I was extremely pleased with Dickey Drysdale's Editorial endorsing Jim Douglas as the best choice for Governor of Vermont. My first reaction was that I should IMMEDIATELY write an e-mail thanking Drysdale for this endorsement and complimenting him on his insights into just why Jim Douglas is the best choice. Then I thought it over and decided that 'No' an e-mail of gratitude was not necessary because he made the clear and logical choice and that was just the right thing to do. 

NOT CHUMMY WITH SHUMMY 

»» Betty Ferraro, Rutland: When are people going to wake up to Shumlin's escapades and realize he is definitely not the candidate who would "honorably" represent Vermont in the State Senate. Open your eyes, Vermonters and see the obvious candidate with integrity, honesty, a family man with principles - Brian Duibie. What an asset he would be to our Senate chambers.

»» Laura Brueckner, Waterbury Center: As I said before - neither truth nor lie shall keep Shumlin from being elected. No matter that Shumlin has ACT 60 (focuses taxes on working families based on a seriously flawed real estate appraisal system) and ACT 71 (tax breaks for businesses) to his credit, no matter that Shumlin successfully stops parental notification in the matter of a child having an abortion, and he introduced at least one bill on the Champion Land deal that changed nothing (pointed out by mild-mannered Anson Tebbits).

»» Paul Chandler, Newport: While the Democrats whine about someone trying to "steal" the election, their operatives are out stealing signs. Last time it was Ruth Dwyer, this time Brian Dubie. Of course, I have hardly seen any Shumlin signs in the Kingdom, so maybe the Dems are envious of the big display of their opponent. They also have some guy who wasted $3,800 on bogus radio ads up here -- the "beneficiaries" deny any knowledge, and likely won't claim the $950 in kind contribution on their Campaign Finance Reports. How Clintonesque that he takes a milligram of "truth" and claims he is not lying? Hopefully, the voters will remember why some incumbents were tossed in 2000, and that the group those now on the outside supported will not stop at Civil Unions. It is still pretty hard to find Democrats who fight "fair". 

WALK A MILE IN THEIR SHOES 

»» Mike Empey, Bellows Falls: Well you finally did something to disappoint me and act like a second guessing Democrat. Your "CALL FOR HELP AND DIE" blurb in the October 25th issue is out of line. Though I am a firefighter first, I am part of the larger family of first responders who are constantly second guessed by an under-appreciative public. I and you do not know exactly what happened in Rochester, or Brattleboro and while we all have a right to our opinion it is out of line to second guess those who were there being shot at or otherwise threatened for simply doing their job.

Yes patience is probably a virtue or attribute that is essential to police work or anything else for that matter that has to do with dealing with the selfish "I am the center of the universe and nobody else matters" society that these United States have become. You are part of a profession (journalism) that is not exactly known for it's virtuistic patience so let's not throw bricks at glass houses.

The incident in Brattleboro has been cleared by one of the most liberal Attorney General in the US and yet still the public and media question it. I am willing to wait for the Rochester incident to be fully and properly investigated. These incidents are tragic whether the officers are wrong or right. These people do not go to work thinking "I am ready and itching to kill somebody tonight", even though we armchair quarterbacks are more than willing to see them take a bullet or be killed for us.

The first rule for an emergency responder should be "I did not create this situation and I will go home to my family when it is over." The second rule is "I will do no harm if possible and no more harm than necessary to help this person/people or resolve this situation". Let's give the VSP and other emergency personnel the benefit of the doubt which they deserve and avoid foolish rhetoric unless we are dang sure it is warranted.

I think that part of Journalism 101 should be to go to the police and fire academy and learn what the responders face everyday. Walk a mile in their shoes first before you judge them. Emergency Response personnel should not make excuses for behavior which has been proven to be bad, but we don't need to mouth off about the mistakes of our peers publicly either --especially prematurely.

Looking forward to your return to more thoughtful comments and observations. 

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A FEW CHOICE QUOTES FROM THIS WEEK'S FEDERALIST
http://www.Federalist.com 

"A man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe." --Euripides

"When politicians rush to fix things, it's a sure sign that either the intended patient is dead or fully healed." --Tony Snow

"Democrats raise taxes. It's their way of paying for programs that buy votes from people who don't pay high taxes." --Pete Waldmeir

"If there is one civil right more precious than all the rest, it is the right to vote." --James Kilpatrick 

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